Non-traditional high temperature composite materials, such as ceramic matrix composite (CMC) materials, are being used in applications such as gas turbine engines. Components fabricated from CMC materials have a higher temperature capability compared with typical components, e.g., metal components, which may allow improved component performance and/or increased engine temperatures. Generally, a gas turbine engine core includes, in serial flow order, a compressor section, a combustion section, a turbine section, and an exhaust section. In operation, air is provided from the fan to an inlet of the compressor section where one or more axial compressors progressively compress the air until it reaches the combustion section. Fuel is mixed with the compressed air and burned within the combustion section to provide combustion gases, exposing components within the combustion section to relatively high temperatures. The combustion gases are routed from the combustion section to the turbine section. The flow of combustion gases through the turbine section drives the turbine section and is then routed through the exhaust section, e.g., to atmosphere.
More particularly, the gas turbine engine defines a flow path for routing the combustion gases through the engine. Adjacent components defining the flow path may develop gaps between the flow path components, through which hot combustion gases could be ingested into buffer cavities between the flow path and an external casing of the gas turbine engine. As such, components within the buffer cavities may be exposed to the combustion gases, such that increased cooling flow or other measures are required for the buffer cavity components to withstand the temperatures of the ingested combustion gases. Accordingly, a discourager or seal for discouraging fluid flow from the flow path into the buffer cavities through the gaps between the flow path components would be desirable, e.g., to reduce the cooling flow required within the buffer cavities and/or to increase the durability of the components within the buffer cavities. More specifically, a discourager or seal that spans a gap between two adjacent components forming the flow path would be beneficial. In particular, a discourager or seal formed from a CMC material, e.g., to withstand the temperatures of the combustion gases, would be advantageous.